academic steroid
n.— «When she was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a sophomore at UC Berkeley, Ashley welcomed her prescription for the amphetamine Adderall. Juggling a full load of classes with athletic pursuits and a busy social life, she seemed an ideal candidate for a drug that could help her focus on her schoolwork. […] A 2006 Northeastern University study found misuse of so-called “Academic Steroids” is most prevalent at private colleges on the East Coast.» —“More students using ‘academic steroids’ despite risks, ethical questions” by Kevin Leahy, Kristen Brophy, Zaheer Cassim Inside Bay Area (California) June 21, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Amid court-ordered busing in the 1970s, a middle-school teacher tried to distract her nervous students on the first day of class with this strange assignment: find a monarch caterpillar. The result? A memorable lesson in the miracle of metamorphosis...
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...